Electrode.



UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

PATENT OEEIcE.

EDGAR F. PRICE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNION CARBIDE COMPANY, OF NIAGARA FALLS,

TION OF VIRGINIA.

NEWV YORK, A CORPORA- ELECTRODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,733, dated January 10, 1905.

Application filed June 28, 1904. Serial No. 214,452.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR F. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of 5 New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrodes, of which the following is a specification.

United States Patent N 0. 757,036, granted April 12, 1904, to John J. Griflin, describes lo a process of producing chemical compounds by eleetrolyzing solutions with an electrode of a metallic carbid which will react chemically on the electrolyte, especially one of calcium carbid. It is diflicnlt, however, to ob- 5 tain pieces of calcium carbid of sufficient size, regular shape, and uniform composition to serve as practical electrodes, and the reaction between the carbid and aqueous solutions is apt to disintegrate and destroy the electrode.

The present invention is a composite electrode of a carbid and a binder, the preferred binding agent being a coked hydrocarbon or carbonaceous substance, such as bituminous coal.

To produce these composite electrodes, the carbid-for example, calcium carbid is crushed and mixed with the binding agentfor example, five to twenty-five per cent, by weight, of pulverized bituminous coal and a 3 small amount of water-free tar or pitch. The

mixture is then molded into the desired form by a press or by forcing it through a die and cutting the product into lengths. The molded pieces are then baked at a temperature suffi- 35 ciently high to decompose the hydrocarbons and drive ofl the volatile matter,'converting the bituminous coal and tar into coke. This coke not only binds the particles of carbid into a hard coherent body, but increases the electrical conductivity, and is especially useful when the electrodes are employed in aqueous solutions, as it retards the action of the water upon the carbid. although its porosity permits the water to finally react on all of the carbid. The porosity of the electrode may be decreased, if desired,'by saturating it with a liquid hydrocarbon or carbohydrate and again baking it, thereby depositing more carbon in the pores.

The upper end of the electrode may be filled with parafiin and provided with any approved terminal, such as a body of antimonial lead cast around it.

I claim 1. An electrode, comprising a carbid and a binder, as set forth.

2. An electrode, comprising a carbid and a carbon binder, as set forth.

3. An electrode, comprising a carbid and a coked binder, as set forth.

4. An electrode, comprising calcium carbid and a binder, as set forth.

5. An electrode, comprising calcium carbid and a carbon binder, as set forth.

6, An electrode, comprising calcium carbid and a coked binder, as set forth.

7. An electrode, comprising calcium carbid and a binder containing coked bituminous coal, as set forth.

I 8. An electrode, comprising calcium carbid and a binder of colced bituminous coal and a liquid hydrocarbon, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR F. PRICE.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM SMITH HARRY, GEO. H. DANFORTH. 

